Equinox acquires the Printing House and squash players freak out

The West Village boutique gym has been bought by Equinox. Why that might not be so terrible. Unless you play squash.

The views at the Printing House

Equinox Fitness recently purchased the Printing House, a privately owned West Village gym known for its killer views and rooftop pool. It’s a primo piece of real estate and hopefully Equinox will improve the lackluster pool area: As a former Printing House member, I can tell you that landscaping and comfy poolside seating were not in the gym’s lexicon.

Had I not been a former member, I’d probably bemoan a small neighborhood gym being bought by a corporate behemoth. Printing House, however, was a place that marketed itself as “boutique” but that was surprisingly shack-ass—from the questionable cleanliness of the women’s locker room to the fact that group fitness classes never started on time. So members should rejoice in more services, though hopefully not more fees.

But one group is freaking out: the club’s squash players. The Printing House was home to a thriving downtown squash scene of 300 players who have started their own Facebook page called “Equinox, keep my squash.” Rumor has it that Equinox plans to turns the squash courts into yoga and Pilates studios.